Does InterRent require an IDP in Nepal?
InterRent in Nepal: the policy in plain terms
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Nepal drives on the left through Himalayan terrain; an IDP is commonly requested for foreign drivers, and mountain roads demand caution.
In Nepal specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Nepal ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Kathmandu desks request an IDP; many travellers hire a car with a driver.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Nepal desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Nepal drives on the left, uses the NPR, and sets a minimum driving age of 18, so an IDP is the document that removes any doubt at the counter.
What to bring to the InterRent counter in Nepal
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the NPR deposit; Nepal drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Nepal InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Steep, narrow mountain roads.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
InterRent's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
InterRent's minimum rental age is typically 19-21 depending on country (19 in Spain, 21 in the UK and France), and drivers aged roughly 21-24 (24 and under in some markets) pay a young-driver surcharge that varies by location, for example around 8.50 EUR/day (max ~93 EUR) in Spain, 12.95 EUR/day (max ~181 EUR) in France, and about 35 GBP/day (max ~350 GBP) in the UK; some vehicle categories require drivers to be over 25.
A refundable security deposit is pre-authorised (held, not debited) on the main driver's credit card at pick-up; the card (Visa or Mastercard, sometimes Amex) must be in the main driver's name with an expiry date after the return date, and debit cards are not accepted because their rules do not fit InterRent's deposit policy.
Additional drivers must present their own valid driving licence at the counter and sign the rental agreement at pick-up; InterRent charges an extra-driver fee per day that varies by location, though it is frequently included in promotional/package rates. The main driver must have held a full, valid driving licence for a minimum of 12 months (one year) prior to picking up the vehicle.
Cross-border travel and one-way rentals are restricted and must be authorised in advance; cross-border fees and one-way drop-off charges apply and vary by route, with certain countries (typically higher-risk or non-EU destinations) excluded entirely under the rental conditions.
InterRent requires a full, valid driving licence held for at least 12 months; for licences not written in the Latin/Roman alphabet (or otherwise not understandable to the rental agent), an International Driving Permit (IDP) must be presented alongside the original national licence, as the IDP is a translation and never replaces the physical licence.
Once you collect the keys in Nepal
There are no electronic toll tags; tolls are minor cash booths on a few stretches such as the Nagdhunga and Kanti Lokpath sections and the Kathmandu-Tarai/Madhesh fast-track when fully open, typically a few hundred rupees per car. Most ordinary highways including the Prithvi Highway are toll-free.
City parking in Kathmandu is largely informal paid lots and attended kerbside spaces where a collector issues a paper ticket for roughly NPR 20-50 per hour; there are very few meters or apps. Illegally parked vehicles in core areas of Kathmandu and Lalitpur can be clamped or towed by the metropolitan traffic police.
Traffic police issue on-the-spot fines, often payable in cash, for speeding, no seatbelt and mobile-phone use, with drink-driving (zero-tolerance MaPaSe checks) drawing heavy fines and possible licence action. Rental firms pass any later-issued fines and damage to the renter, usually against the security deposit.
Dial 100 for police (or 102 for ambulance); in any injury or serious-damage crash do not move the vehicle and wait for traffic police, as crowds can gather quickly. Report immediately and exchange details, and notify the rental company at once since informal on-the-spot cash settlements are common but risky for foreigners.
Full driving guide for Nepal →